ceviche dip. {winner!!}

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Ceviche Dip from Michelle:

1 cup raw shrimp, chopped into bite size pieces

2 limes, juiced

2 lemons, juiced

8 oz package grape tomatoes, quartered

1/3 cup red onion, chopped small

1 tsp minced jalepeno (I used jarred)

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

2 clementine oranges, juiced

1 avocado, chopped

garlic salt

olive oil

coarse salt and cracked pepper

Cover shrimp with juice of limes and lemons in fridge and let macerate (the citrus juice will "cook" the shrimp and they will turn pink). It should take about 30 minutes. Drain the juices off the shrimp. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Drizzle with olive oil and season with garlic salt, salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips.

brown butter & sea salt chocolate chip cookies.

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Brown Butter & Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies from Heidi:

via Ambitiouskitchen

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp of sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 T plain greek yogurt
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will begin to foam. Make sure you whisk consistently during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan. Continue to whisk and remove from what as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

With an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla and yogurt until combined. Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill your dough for 2 hours in the refrigerator or place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Once dough is chilled measure 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball. It doesn't have to be perfectly rolled. Place dough balls on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart and sprinkle each dough ball with a little bit of sea salt.

Bake cookies 9-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. They will look a bit underdone in the middle, but will continue to cook once out of the oven. Cool the cookies on the sheets and sprinkle with a little extra sea salt if desired. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets after a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

brownie recipe.

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Brownies from Melanie:

(the were the yummy brownies Melanie made for us on Seafood night)

1/3 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 T water

1/2 pkg. chocolate chips

2 eggs

3/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 bag chocolate chips

Melt first four ingredients. Add eggs (slightly beat eggs while mixing in). Add rest of ingredients. Bake 325 for 35 minutes (8x8) pan.

tuna salad sandwich.

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The Best Tuna Salad from Brittany:

via cinnamonandspiceandeverythingnice

1 (5 ounce) can solid white albacore tuna, drained

Mayonnaise (the amount based on your personal taste)

1 T fresh chopped dill or 1 tsp dried

1 T diced sweet pickle

1 T diced red onion

1 T dried cranberries

1 T sliced Almonds, toasted

salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Flake drained tuna in a medium bowl using fork. Add mayo, dill, pickle, onion and cranberries. Combine and season with salt and pepper.

Serve over salad or on sandwich or all on it's own.

Sprinkle toasted almonds on top.

lobster risotto.

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Lobster Risotto from Melanie:
via Giada De Laurentiis

1 pound (about 2 medium) frozen lobster tails, thawed (I got mine at Sams)
4 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
4 T butter, at room temperature
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup brandy (can buy small bottles at liquor store for $1-$2)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium saucepan of slated water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the lobster tails and boil for 8-10 minutes until the shells curl and the lobster meat turns white. Drain, transfer to a cutting board, and cool for 15 minutes. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut through the top shell lengthwise. Remove the meat and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Keep hot over low heat.

In a large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to foam and then turns brown, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add the onion and cook, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the brandy and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding the stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of stock to absorb before adding the next. Cook until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, the remaining butter and 2 tablespoons of chives. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Transfer the risotto to a large serving bowl. Arrange the lobster meat on top of the risotto and garnish with the remaining chives.

smoked salmon dip.

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Smoked Salmon Dip from Ashley:

adapted from Ina Garten

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 T minced fresh dill

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 lb (4 ounces) smoked salmon, minced

Cream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper and mix. Add the smoked salmon and mix well. Chill and serve with crudités and/or crackers.